Sentence Structure
Complete sentences always have a subject and a verb.
- Simple Subject
A simple subject of a sentence is the noun or pronoun that is performing the action or state of being of the main verb.
Complete Subject
A complete subject of a sentence includes the simple subject and all the words that help describe it.
The burly
lumberjack with the handlebar mustache chopped down several trees.
_______________________________________________________
- Simple Predicate
The simple predicate of a sentence is the main verb of the sentence.
Complete Predicate
The complete predicate is the simple predicate, or main verb, and all of the words and phrases that help describe it.
The burly lumberjack with the handlebar mustache
chopped down several trees.
_______________________________________________________
A simple predicate always agrees with the simple subject.
_______________________________________________________
The words of predicates are not always grouped together.
Are
you going to the store after soccer practice today?
Are you
going to the store after soccer practice today?
To make it easier to identify the subject and predicate of a question, turn it into a statement. |
You are going to the store after soccer practice today.
You are going to the store after soccer practice today.
_______________________________________________________
Some sentences have more than one complete subject and predicate.
While
simple sentences like those above have only one complete subject and complete predicate,
compound sentences have two or more
clauses, each with its own complete subject and predicate, that are joined by coordinating conjunctions like
and,
but,
or,
nor,
for,
yet, or
so.
❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ ❋ Go to the next page to learn more about subject-verb agreement. |